November 18, 2009  
 

Federal - Health Care Reform Updates

House:  Earlier this month the House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill with a variety of provisions to make health insurance more affordable and accessible.  If you are interested in how your Representative voted on the bill please visit our website to download a fact sheet.

Specifics in the House bill that affect both women and children are listed below:

Women

1. Eliminates Discriminatory Practices in Private Insurance
   1. Bans gender rating.
   2. Prohibits coverage rejections based on pre-existing conditions such as having previously had a Cesarean section, being a survivor of domestic violence or becoming pregnant.
2. Ensures the Affordability of Health Insurance (since more women are either uninsured or underinsured than men)
   1. Expands Medicaid eligibility to 150%FPL, including to childless adults.
   2. Includes premium subsidies to make health care more affordable for women.
   3. Limits cost-sharing for out-of-pocket services.
3. Denies Coverage for Abortions to Women Participating in the Health Insurance Exchange
   1. For women in the Exchange who receive health insurance subsidies and/or who choose the public health insurance option, the bill denies coverage for abortion care. This provision was added via the Stupak Amendment.

Children

1. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
   1. States may not scale back their eligibility standards from those of June 16th, 2009.
   2. In 2011 the Secretary of HHS will submit a report to Congress comparing the coverage and cost of CHIP versus the programs in the Exchange.
   3. Children enrolled in CHIP will be required to get coverage through the Exchange before CHIP is repealed in 2014.
2. Focus on Prevention and Wellness
   1. Provides grants to states to support home visitation programs for pregnant women and families with young children.
   2. Allows for dependent children younger than 27 years to remain on their parent’s insurance policy.
   3. Expands benefits and coverage in insurance programs to federally recommended vaccines.
3. School-Based Health Centers
   1. Establishes a new grant program to support school-based health centers. Grantees would be eligible for cost-based reimbursements, similar to what is currently offered to Federally Qualified Health Centers.
   2. Requires State Medicaid and CHIP plans to reimburse school-based health centers for services. Illinois currently reimburses for covered services, but other many other sites across the country do not.

Senate:  Currently, advocates are waiting to see what the unified bill in the Senate will include.  Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office are expected by mid-November.  The Senate will be on recess during the week of November 23rd to the 27th and will ideally begin debate on their bill by November 30th. 

For more information on the proposed bills please visit the Kaiser Family Foundation’s interactive side-by-side health reform comparison tool, with separate summaries of the bill’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program provisions and Medicare provisions, as well as an outline of the ongoing process that Congress must follow as it works to complete and enact a health reform bill.

Take Action: Please contact your Senators and tell them that we need reform NOW that provides us with quality, affordable health care, as well as reform that considers the reproductive rights of women in America.

Toll Free: 1-800-828-0498
Senator Roland Burris:  202-224-2854 or 312-886-3506
Senator Dick Durbin:  202-224-2152 or 312-353-4952

Visit IMCHC's e-advocacy site to send an action alert and to find your legislator. Contact Kathy Chan to report the results of your phone calls.

If your organization would like to sign-on to a petition supporting the public option please visit the Campaign for Better Health Care’s website.

Other Legislative Updates

The City of Chicago and Budget Cuts for Public Health:  As the City of Chicago faces large losses in their budget for the next fiscal year, the money for public health has been cut by 12%. 

A 12 percent budget cut for public health will reduce essential health activities.  Substance abuse treatment programs would need to eliminate $500,000 in services (a 12-15% reduction); sexually transmitted disease treatment clinics would lose 4 staff positions, straining already overwhelmed systems; and maternal and child health programs would conduct 1,000 fewer home visits for vulnerable mothers and children. Essential HIV services would receive $175,000 less for HIV prevention and care programs.   

Please send Mayor Daley a fax and let him know how important the health of all Chicagoans are to you.

Thanks to our partners at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago for setting up this action alert.


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FamilyCare and All Kids Trainings

The Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition has been conducting a series of statewide trainings to provide updates on Illinois’ FamilyCare and All Kids programs, as well offering the latest information on state and federal health care reform efforts.  To register for the training please visit our website, or for more information please contact Sara Howard.

Our final training will be held:

Thursday, December 10th
9:30 – 11:30am
Healthcare Consortium of Illinois
1350 East Sibley Boulevard, Penthouse
Dolton, Illinois  60419

Keep an eye out for public service announcements regarding the FamilyCare and All Kids programs to be aired on CAN-TV throughout the month of November!

Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers  

School Health Center Conference 2010 - Call for Presentations

The Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers seeks presentations for the 8th Annual School Health Center Conference, Building Bridges: Healthy Minds, Bodies, Communities. Presentations should speak directly to collaborative, school-based strategies focused on the holistic health of youth. Presentations, regardless of topic, should aim to fulfill the following goals:

• Promote the integration of mental health services in SHCs.

• Address the impact of mental health issues in SHCs.
• Promote community collaboration in SHCs that focus on the holistic health of youth.

• Provide resources and support for developing school health centers.
• Enrich and strengthen the skills of clinicians, administrators, allied staff, and advocates in the school health center setting.
• Provide opportunities for attendees to share ideas, information and experiences.

Chicago Area Immunization Campaign

Chicago Department of Public Health to Provide Free H1N1 Flu Shots at Clinics Across Chicago

For Chicago residents who do not have a doctor or whose doctor does not plan to give H1N1 vaccinations, the Chicago Department of Public Health will offer H1N1 flu vaccinations at six locations across the city. The vaccinations are for people at increased risk for flu and flu complications including:

** pregnant women.
** all children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years.
** people who live with and/or care for infants younger than 6 months of age.
** people age 25-64 with chronic health conditions (like asthma or diabetes).
** health care workers.

 The six locations are:

          ** Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted
          ** Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn
          ** Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski
          ** Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson
          ** Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western
          ** Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett
          ** Malcolm X, 1900 W. Van Buren St.

The locations will be open to serve Chicago residents at increased risk on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays---starting Saturday, October 24.. Hours of operation are 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays.

No appointments are necessary, and all vaccinations will be delivered free of charge, on a first come/first served basis.

If you have any questions about the clinics, or would like more information, please contact Sheila Sanders.

9th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions – Call for Abstracts and Early Registration

The 9th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions (NCIHC) will be hosted by the Chicago Area Immunization Campaign, a project of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition. NCIHC will take place on May 26 – 28, 2010 at the Westin River North Hotel in downtown Chicago. 

Abstracts are now being accepted! NCIHC 2010 will showcase successful ways in which health coalitions can improve immunization protection, prevent disease, improve access to care and health outcomes for underserved populations, reduce racial, ethnic, and geographic health disparities, educate new populations and build community health infrastructures.  Abstracts are welcome from all disciplines and must be submitted electronically no later than February 1, 2010.  If you are interested in submitting an abstract, information is available through IMCHC’s website.  

Early registration is now open for the conference! Payment must be received by February 12, 2010 to ensure the early registration cost. If you are interested in registering for this event, or would like more information, visit IMCHC’s website.

Illinois Premature Infant Health Network

IMCHC recently became the administrator of the Illinois Premature Infant Health Network (IPIHN) which brings together physicians, hospitals, as well as community and health organizations to increase quality health care access for premature infants and their families in Illinois. As increased premature births affect more and more families, especially those with lower incomes, IPIHN is examining the resources available to families once they leave the NICU.

Our next meeting will be held on Monday, December 7th from 11am to 1pm at IMCHC’s Chicago office located at 1256 West Chicago Avenue, in Chicago, Illinois. Lunch will be provided, so please RSVP by December 3rd.

If you would like more information, or to RSVP, please contact Sara Howard at 312-491-8161x32. A conference call option is available for those unable to attend in person.

IMCHC Junior Board

Over twenty young professionals are actively involved in IMCHC’s Junior Board planning events to raise awareness for maternal and child health.  Please contact Sara Howard if you would like to learn more about the Junior Board and its activities. Meetings are held on a bimonthly basis at IMCHC’s West

Some upcoming events include:



December 2nd – A Girl’s Night Out at G Boutique in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood where 50% of the proceeds from purchases made that night will go to IMCHC.
Please contact Lilah Handler if you would like to attend this event.

December 15th– Junior Board Book Group Selection: Pushed by Jennifer Block, 6pm
Please contact Sara Howard for location details if you would like to participate in this discussion.

January 12th  – Junior Board Meeting at 5:30 at the IMCHC Office
Please contact Sara Howard if you are interested in attending.

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Newsletter Archive

Visit our newsletter archive to read about recently listed articles from past issues. Past topics include:

• Federal and State Policy Updates
• Junior Board Events
• Chicago Area Immunization Campaign Summer Meeting
• Staff Updates

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The House Bill, HR3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, passed earlier this month 220 to 215. This bill is expected to extend health coverage to over 36 million people, while lowering the deficit.  This coverage expansion will be paid for through cost-savings in Medicare and increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Americans (those earning over $500,000/year). 

While the passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act was significant, an amendment added at the last minute that severely limits a woman's ability to access abortions through private health insurance.  The Stupak Amendment is of particular concern for women with a history of difficult pregnancies or still births, as their medically necessary abortions would not be covered.

While IMCHC is excited about the historical significance of this bill passing the House, there is still much more to be done in the Senate. Please contact your Senators and tell them that we need reform NOW that provides us with quality, affordable health care, as well as reform that considers the reproductive rights of women in America.

Toll Free: 1-800-828-0498
Senator Roland Burris:  202-224-2854 or 312-886-3506
Senator Dick Durbin:  202-224-2152 or 312-353-4952

You can also take action by sending an email via IMCHC’s e-action page.

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The Campaign for Better Health Care’s 2009 Annual Meeting

The Campaign for Better Health Care will be holding their Annual Meeting November 18-20.  See below for highlighted events and activities.

NOVEMBER 18 Illinois Gubernatorial Debate  3-5PM at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza (350 N. Orleans, Chicago 15th Floor) Tickets are $25. Interest and excitement about this debate is becoming front and center in the political arena. This is the first head-to-head debate between Governor Pat Quinn and State Comptroller Dan Hynes and will likely be the only health care specific debate of the campaign.  Federal reform will mean the State of Illinois will have to implement a number of components. Find out what the future governor of Illinois has to say. Illinois Healthcare Roundtable Reception Special Guest Wendell Potter 6pm-7:30 at Carnivale Restaurant, Tango Room (702 W. Fulton St., Chicago) Tickets are $50.

Join CBHC staff, board, and special guests at an intimate reception featuring Wendell Potter, former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower.  Mr. Potter has been traveling the country talking about the abusive practices of the insurance industry towards consumers     NOVEMBER 19  Health Care Forum 9am-12 at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza (350 N. Orleans, Chicago 15th Floor) Tickets are $50. Join national organizations representing providers, organized labor, people of color, women, and state-based organizations as we finalize our last surge for the fight! Come prepared with questions and join in the discussion. Speakers Include: Rachel DeGolia (Director, UHCAN - Universal Health Care Action Network), Deacon Sal Alvarez (LULAC National Health Commission - League of United Latin American Citizens), Cynthia Pearson (Executive Director, National Women's Health Network), Dr. Jonathan Arend (Director of Legislative Affairs and Co-Founder, National Physician's Alliance), Nick Unger (National AFL-CIO). The forum will be moderated by Cindy Richards. Combination tickets are also available for $65 or $100, and going fast - register today!

Conference for Ratification of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child

On November 20th the Committee for the Ratification of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) will be hosting a conference to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the passage of the UNCRC. Attendees will learn how the Convention on the Rights of the Child impacts society’s response to the needs of children, as well as learn the status of the Convention in America. IMCHC is an enthusiastic co-sponsor of this event.

Speakers include: Dr. Creasie Finney Hairson, Dean of the Jane Addams College of Social Work, Dr. Bernardine Dohrn, Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University School of Law, Dr. Wynne Sandra Korr, Dean of the School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Deanna M. Blackwell, Department of Education, Culture and Society at the University of Utah, Dr. Jeff Goldhagen, MPH, Chief, Division Community Pediatrics for the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, and Ms. Linda S. Spears, Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for the Child Welfare League of America.

To register online for this conference please visit our website or contact Lilah Handler at 312-491-8161.

IMCHC Lake County Meeting
Featured Speaker: Anne Statton of the Pediatric Aids Initiative of Chicago speaking about preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS from mother to child.
Wednesday, December 2nd
1pm-3pm
University of Illinois Extension
100 S. Highway 45 in Grayslake
RSVP to Lilah Handler

Girls Night out with the IMCHC Junior Board
Wednesday, December 2nd
7pm – 9pm
G Boutique
2131 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
RSVP to Lilah Handler

Illinois Premature Infant Health Network Meeting
Monday, December 7th
11am – 1pm
IMCHC Office
1256 W. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
RSVP to Sara Howard

IMCHC Chicago Area Chapter Meeting 
Featured Speaker: Ruth Kerzee with Safer Pest Control will discuss the prevalence of pesticides and their effect on children’s health.
Wednesday, December 9th
1pm-3pm
Metropolitan Family Services
1 N. Dearborn, 10th Floor in Chicago
RSVP to Lilah Handler

FamilyCare Training and Health Care Reform Update
Thursday, December 10th
9:30 – 11:30am
Healthcare Consortium of Illinois
1350 East Sibley Boulevard, Penthouse
Dolton, Illinois  60419
RSVP to Sara Howard

IMCHC Junior Board Book Group Discussing Pushed by Jennifer Block
Tuesday, December 15th
6pm – 8pm
RSVP to Sara Howard for location details

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IMCHC Junior Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 12th
5:30pm – 7pm
IMCHC Office
1256 W. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
RSVP to Sara Howard

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